Me Vuelves Lorca | Me vuelves Lorca, absurdly good theatre in the Spanish mountains

We were delighted to celebrate the 4th edition of the festival last summer. with a programme that explored Federico García Lorca’s trip to New York and Cuba in 1929, an experience that transformed both his life and work. An ambitious and ever more international programme that took its inspiration from the Spanish poet’s fascination with the black music of Harlem and Havana in the late 1920s and his relationship with flamenco.

We were also very excited to have organised our first ever artistic collaboration, bringing together flamenco star Belén Maya and renowned British dance dancer Kathak, Amina Khayyam, in a week-long artists’ residence to explore the points of connection between both genres. And on Friday August 10th, they’ showed us the results in a special show in the theatre…

Our vibrant, bitesized festival that punches above its weight was launched in 2015 to create an economic and cultural catalyst in an area threatened by unemployment and depopulation. When you buy a ticket you help us fulfill that dream. Thanks for your support!

A LOOK BACK…

3 weekends

1st

27-29 JULY 2018

A weekend exploring Lorca’s fascination with the jazz & swing culture he discovered in Harlem in 1929. Spectators had the chance to attend the opening play of this year’s festival… Enjoy live jazz concerts… and even learn to lindy hop with BIG SOUTH dance academy from Madrid.

2nd

3-4 AUGUST 2018

A celebration of Cuban music and culture brought to us by renowned Cuban musician Pancho Amat and his band, the Cabildo del Son, well-known Spanish actor Alberto San Juan and of course, Federico García Lorca.

3rd

10-11 AUGUST 2018

A return to Granada and another of Lorca’s passions: flamenco. Two female artists, from two very different cultures… together in Laroles! This weekend markED the culmination of a week-long collaboration between flamenco dancer Belén Maya and British Kathak dancer, Amina Khayyam. And to finish, a comedy double bill…

27 – 29 JULY 2018

We filled the theatre and the streets of Laroles with jazz this summer!
A weekend that explored Lorca’s trip to New York in 1929 and celebrated his fascination with the black music he heard in Harlem.
A chance to watch a play, learn to dance lindy hop and enjoy live jazz under the stars…!

3 – 4 AUGUST 2018

¡Oh Cuba! ¡Oh Cuba! A celebration of Cuban music and culture brought to us by renowned Cuban musician Pancho Amat and his band, the Cabildo del Son, well-known Spanish actor Alberto San Juan and of course, Federico García Lorca. A weekend that saw the premiere of “Hace Federico”, a play written by the director of the festival, Anna Kemp and screenwriter Sonia Jaque.

10-11 AUGUST 2018

As a festival, we organised our first artists’ residence this summer with a unique artistic collaboration. The acclaimed British Kathak dancer and choreographer, Amina Khayyam brought her latest production to Laroles and for a week worked with international flamenco star, Belén Maya. Together they explored the influence of Kathak on Spanish flamenco and shared the results of their explorations with us in the theatre. A privilege. Perfect for non-Spanish speakers, this was a date not to be missed!

Saturday night was a comedy double bill in Spanish. However, the more adventurous non-Spanish speaker still enjoyed the frentic pace of “Interrupted”, a fun, very visual, comedy about how a perfect life can become hell in the most unexpected way. And after, Jamming Company returned once again, with their hilarious improvised theatre show.

BEHIND THE SCENES AT THE FESTIVAL

The festival is an initiative of the Association Me Vuelves Lorca and it is organised with the support of the townhall in Nevada. However, it would not be possible without the effort and support of the local community. Our tireless team of volunteers is made up of locals and people from all over Spain. This year we are especially grateful to the women of the Laroles Women’s Association for their help.

PREVIOUS EDITIONS…

EN IMAGENES...

WE’D LIKE TO THANK…

LA GENTE QUE NOS APOYA

El festival se saca adelante gracias tambien a una ayuda de la Unión Europea con cargo al Fondo Europeo Agrícola de Desarrollo Rural

“REGIONAL PROGRAMME FOR FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR NON-PROFIT ENTITIES AND ASSOCIATIONS. “Activity co-funded by the Regional Government of Granada.”

ABOUT THE PROJECT

Me vuelves Lorca… in 1 minute

WHAT IS VUELVES LORCA?

The “Me Vuelves Lorca” Festival takes place in Laroles (Nevada), a village of about 600 inhabitants in the heart of the stunning Alpujarra mountains, in southern Spain. It takes place every summer in a beautiful, handcrafted open-air theatre that was built by the local community in 2013. Plays begin as the sun goes down and continue under the stars.

The Festival takes its inspiration from the figure of the Spanish poet and dramatist, Federico García Lorca, and his philosophy of taking theatre to the rural areas of Spain. It represents the next exciting stage in the life of the award-winning social development project, “Un Teatro Entre Todos”, which aims to bring a little cultural and economic sparkle to this hidden corner of Spain.

“Me Vuelves Lorca” in a nutshell? Absurdly good theatre in a tiny mountain village. The stunning surroundings are an added bonus! For the visitor, this means an unforgettable theatrical experience and the opportunity to discover a virgin corner of southern Spain that still maintains a traditional way of life… And the chance to be part of something special.

At “Me Vuelves Lorca” we define ourselves as offering outstanding theatre, music and dance in a space that is as simple as it is beautiful. The result? A ‘stripped bare’ theatrical experience that harks back to the days of Greek theatre… and buckets of magic … in untouched corner of southern Spain that’s just waiting to be discovered. If you are more of a traveller than a holidaymaker… If you prefer to discover places rather than visit them… If you are looking for something a bit different… “Me Vuelves Lorca” is for you.

The Festival is organised by the Association Me vuelves Lorca, a non-profit cultural association that has been working since 2009 to combat the scarce cultural offer in the area, in collaboration with the townhall of Nevada. Our objective is to follow in the footsteps of Lorca himself, who with his theatre company “La Barraca”, took the Spanish Classics to all corners of rural Spain, and do our bit to challenge the lack of access to culture that rural areas inevitably experience. The Festival represents a creative solution to a complex problem: it aims to combat the problems of rural areas (depopulation, unemployment, lack of resources and lack of access to culture) in an innovative way, transforming culture into a catalyst for the economy local.

MESSAGES OF SUPPORT…

BUILDING THE THEATRE

Before...

The corn threshing circle was in a very deteriorated state. Transformingit into an amphitheatre seemed an innovative way to breathe new life into it for the community.

Summer 2013

With the help of a grant from the regional government, la Junta de Andalucía, the threshing circle was restored with a view to it becoming the stage of our future theatre. It was a big undertaking that involved building containing walls, reconstructing the outer circumferance, which had fallen away over time, and restoring the ancient cobbling. Work took about a month and the team was made up of one unemployed member of every family in the village,which meant around 20 families were involved in total.

……using local materials

…and traditional local building techniques

…making use of the know-how of the local community

March-July 2014

The construction of the stone seating above and around the threshing circle, to transform it into an amphitheatre, was carried out using the same techniques and materials traditionally used in the construction of the agricultural terraces in the area and placing special emphasis on creating a space that is in harmony with the spectacular natural environment that surrounds it.

…funded in part by a crowdfunding campaign

…a design that adapts to the terrain

…a total capacity of 250 people

July 2015

With funding from the Diputación de Granada, in July 2015, the lateral access stairs, toilet block and storeroom for our equipment could be built. These much needed improvements mean that the seating is now much more easily accessed.

THE STORY IN VIDEOS

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EAT – SLEEP – DO

THE 4 VILLAGES OF NEVADA

LAROLES

The biggest village in the municipality, highlights include its church, with its unique, sixteenth century dome, which is the only one of its kind in La Alpujarra, and the Museum-house of Pilar Pérez. this restored house offers a glimpse of life in the Alpujarras in years goneby.

JÚBAR

The smallest of the 4 villages, the church at Jubar boasts the oldest Mudejar-style ceiling in La Alpujarra and Medieval frescos on the wall, that were discovered during restoration work a few years ago. The perfect place to enjoy a classical music concert.

PICENA

The village of Picena, its houses built of the steep slopes of the river, has several interesting walks, including one to natural pools.

MAIRENA

Dubbed the “Balcony of the Alpujarra” for its spectacular views, on clear days you can see the coast of Africa from the pretty little village of Mairena.

WHAT TO DO

Además de visitar los pueblos, este entorno natural nos permite practicar en el municipio numerosas actividades al aire libre, como el senderismo para los que les gusten las caminatas y con una amplia red de senderos, bicicleta de montaña con un centro BTT formado por un entramado de 9 rutas de diferente dificultad, 344 kms de recorrido y pionero en sostenibilidad al no utilizar señalización física sobre el territorio, un parque de Multiaventura con diferentes juegos en altura y una gran tirolina de 110 metros de longitud y, como no, las actividades de nieve en el Puerto de la Ragua con el esquí de fondo como principal actividad o contar con circuitos de trineos con perros

In addition to exploring its villages, there are numerous outdoor activities of offer in the municipality, such as hiking and walking, and mountain biking. Nevada boasts its own mountain bike centre that offers 9 routes of varying difficulty and 344 kms of track in total. It is considered poineer in Andalusia, because its focus is on sustainability by not using signage. There is also a multi-adventure park with a zip wire, of course, the Puerto de la Ragua Pass which offers cross-country skiing in winter months and the promise of refreshing walks and temperatures 10º lower than elsewhere in the Alpujarras in the summer. It is also possible to take a husky sleigh ride, both with snow and without it.

WHAT TO EAT

Another of the area’s biggest attractions is its traditional rural gastronomy. In addition, wine and craft beer, traditional preserves, cheese and olive oil are all produced locally. Why not let us arrange you a wine or beer tasting. Or you can sample the traditionally made jams and preserves.

THE SIERRA NEVADA NATIONAL PARK

The National and Natural Park of Sierra Nevada is one of the biggest national parks in Europe and the largest in Spain. Declared a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO in 1986, it has the greatest biodiversity in Europe making it the perfect destination for nature lovers. Here are some pointers to help you explore our little corner of this natural wonder, the municipality of Nevada, with its 4 villages: Laroles, Picena, Júbar and Mairena

WHERE IT IS AND HOW TO GET THERE

Situated in the southeast of the province of Granada and to the west of Almeria, the municipality of Nevada is located on the southern slope of the Sierra Nevada mountain range (which is known as La Alpujarra) and at the foot of the Puerto de la Ragua mountain pass.

GETTING THERE:

From Guadix, take the A92 motorway to La Calahorra and from there, take the A337 road to Laroles over the Puerto de la Ragua.
From the province of Almería and the coast of Granada, take the road from El Ejido to Berja, and from there follow signs to Cherín and then on to Picena and Laroles.

WHEN TO GO

Any time of the year is a good time to visit this part of the Sierra Nevada and there are a great variety of outdoor activities all year round. In winter, there’s snow and cross country skiing, followed by an evening in front of the fire. And the cooler temperatures make it a great place to visit in the summer. So there are no excuses tnot to come!

PRACTICAL INFORMATION

The Park has a total covers an area of 169 239 hectares and it is the highest mountain range in the whole of western Europe, after the Alps. Its highest point is the Mulhacén peak at an altitude of 3,482m. Two thirds of the municipality of Nevada falls within the Natural and National Park of Sierra Nevada. There is a ski station situated at the top of the Puerto de la Ragua pass at an altitude of 2000m, offering cross-country skiing.

FLORA AND FAUNA

Sierra Nevada has 2,100 species of plants, representing a quarter of all known species in Spain and a fifth in Europe, and 66 of them are only found here. It represents the greatest biodiversity of in Europe.

In terms of fauna, up in the mountains you’ll find the alpine accentor, the blue rock thrush and the red-billed chough. In the the river valleys, you can spot blackbirds, orioles, sparrowhawks and goshawks. It is also a breeding ground for booted eagles, buzzards, golden eagles and eagle owls, among others. In terms of mammals, wild boar, foxes, badgers, genets and, above all, mountain goats.